- Overview
- Itineraries
- Gallery
- Reviews
- Booking
Sri Lanka 4 Days culture and nature
This 4-day Sri Lanka tour is one of the best opportunities to see all the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka's hill country. The tour mainly revolves around popular tourist places such as Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Ella. One of the main activities of the trip is the hill country train tour, widely regarded as one of the most scenic train trips in the world. The 4-day tour also takes you to many important historical sites, such as the tooth relic temple, as well as natural attractions such as lakes, botanical gardens, tea plantations, waterfalls, and remote hamlets.
Is this trip right for you?
- The entire trip is private (transfers and sightseeing); only you and your associates take part.
- This 4-day trip packs a lot in. It's one of the most popular Sri Lanka tours; we run in our original style, making it perfect for those looking for a one-week trip with a desire to do the most with it. If you're looking for a more leisurely trip in Sri Lanka or a shorter trip, check out our other tour itineraries.
- The tour includes a 4-hour railway journey on Sri Lanka's hill country railway track, which is a very popular activity among travelers.
- Sri Lanka can get scorching in the summer. While we aim to do our walking tours and city tours early in the morning or afternoon, when it's cooler, remember to keep water on you and bring a hat, sunscreen, a long-sleeved shirt, and anything else that will protect you from the sun.
- Part of traveling with Serendipity means respecting local cultures and sensibilities. Therefore, you maximize your interactions with locals and environments. On this trip, we visit a number of temples, and to enter them, you must have clothes that cover your wrists and below the knees. Upon entering the temple, you are required to remove your head cover and shoes. Please click here to know more about the rules and regulations pertaining to Sri Lanka temple visits.
Trip includes
- The trip includes 3 nights of accommodation in 4-star hotels.
- Every day, there are three breakfasts and three dinners.
- You can take a hop-on, hop-off tour of Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.
- The tour itinerary includes entrance fees and activity costs.
- Pinnawala elephant orphanage
- spice garden
- Tooth relic temple
- Royal botanical garden
- Ceylon tea tour
- Trek to the Ramboda waterfall.
- Gregory Lake
- Guided trekking in Ella
- Entire ground transportation in an air-conditioned, modern private vehicle, as per the tour itinerary
- There will be an English-speaking driver/guide throughout the tour (please inquire about other languages).
- Train tickets
- Meeting arrangements at the airport
- All government taxes
Trip excludes
- Personal expenses include things like tipping, hiring porters, doing laundry, and using phones.
- Any meals not specified during the tour are included.
Choose your payment method.
We offer you mainly three payment options: card payments, bank transfers, or payment on arrival. You can choose whatever is the most convenient payment option for you. If you choose to pay on arrival, we will collect a 25% advance payment as a guarantee once we confirm your booking.
Additional information
- You will receive the confirmation at the time of booking.
- A current, valid passport is required on the day of travel.
- When sharing with two paying adults, the child rate is only applicable.
- An adult must accompany children.
- The duration of transfers is approximate; the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions.
- Not wheelchair accessible.
- Infant seats are available.
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate.
For more information or changes to the itinerary, please write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com.
Sri Lanka 4 Days culture and nature
Itineraries
Day 1
Time : 7:00 am
COLOMBO / KANDY
A Serendipity Tour representative will greet you warmly at 7.00 AM and introduce you to your dedicated chauffeur/guide, who will accompany you throughout the country for the next 4 days.
After 2 hours of comfortable driving in a modern vehicle, you will be reaching the Pinnawala elephant orphanage. You will be able to visit the first-ever elephant foster home.
PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE
In 1975, the first Jumbos orphanage began operations. The orphanage spans across 9 hectares close to the Kumbukan Oya river, serving as a bathing spot for elephants. We will guide you to the bathing spot where the elephants bathe, play, and enjoy the water.
Afterward, drive to Kandy; en route, visit Spice Garden and Peradeniya Botanical Garden. In the evening, take a Kandy city tour, visiting the tooth relic temple and the Kandyan cultural show.
KANDY
A ruled in Kandy up to 1815, although the rest of the island was under the British regime. Ultimately, the Chieftains of Kandy, disappointed by the king's cruel deeds, ceded it to the British. Nowadays, Kandy is a major city because of the Temple of the Buddha's tooth.
TEMPLE OF THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC
Sri Dalada Maligawa, also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The former Kingdom of Kandy's royal palace complex houses the tooth Buddha relic. The relic has played an important role in local politics since ancient times because it is believed that whoever holds it holds the country's governance. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site, partly due to the temple.
BOTANICAL GARDEN
In the 16th century, a Kandyan King used the Botanical Garden of Peradeniya as a pleasure garden, and the British regime later transformed it into a botanical garden. This garden, one of the best in Asia, is a place of beauty and a site for bird watchers.
"NATIONAL MUSEUM"
The Kandy National Museum, located next to the sacred Temple of the Tooth and housed in a section of the Royal Palace that once housed the King's concubines, opened its doors in 1942. This museum has over 5000 objects on display, and among the most impressive exhibits are King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe II's golden crown and a copy of the 1815 treaty known as the ‘Kandyan Convention’ by which, on March 2, 1815, Ceylon ceded to the British, ending 2,357 years of monarchy.
ARTS & CRAFT S CENTER
Arts and crafts are an integral part of Sri Lanka’s ancient cultural heritage. Traditional Sri Lankan crafts are vital industries in many parts of the island, including wood carving, mask making, drum making, mat weaving, handlooms, lacwork, rush and read products, and so on.
THE ROYAL PAACE
King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe was the last king to reside in the Royal Palace, until the British overthrew him in 1815 with the help of Kandyan chieftains. The Raja Wasala (King's Palace), Magul Maduwa (Royal Audience Hall), Meda Wasala (Queens’ Palace), Palle Wasala (King’s Harem Quarters), Ulpange (Queen’s Bathing Pavilion), and the Temple of the Tooth were once parts of a vast palace complex.
ROYAL AUDIENCE HALL
The ‘Magul Maduwa’, a finely carved masterpiece in timber, is where the king met his ministers and carried out his daily administrative tasks. Many historic events have taken place at this location, and it was here that the British handed over the death sentence to the Sri Lankan national heroes Keppatipola Disave and Madugalle Dave. In 1948, Colombo constructed a granite replica of the Royal Audience Hall of Kandy to commemorate Sri Lanka's independence from the British.
KANDYAN CULTURAL SHOW
The Cultural Dance Show. Dance and drama play a crucial role in Sri Lankan culture, and any event would be incomplete without their display. Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic country with a rich conflux of dance and drama. The two main ethnic groups share two spectacular dance and drama traditions, which enrich the fame Sri Lanka has gained in this sphere.
KANDY CITY AND WALK
Your Kandy city walk starts near Kandy Lake. Your guide leads you to the picturesque and important corners of the city, such as Kandy Lake, Kandy fish market, vegetable market, clock tower area, and Bazar area. The walking tour lasts about 1 hour.
Stop at Kandy Lake:
You will also do an upper lake drive and visit the market square, gem lapidary, and more.
Spend the night at the hotel in Kandy
Day 2
Time : 7:00 am
KANDY / NUWARA ELIYA
After breakfast, leave for the Kandy Railway station, where you board the "Podimenike Express train." This train journey will be the most scenic train ride on the island, and you will be surprised by the beautiful scenery you encounter. The train travels from Kandy to the Nanu Oya railway station.
Your driver/guide will meet you at the Nuwara Eliya railway station and then take you on a sightseeing tour of the city.
NUWARA ELIYA
The hill country of Sri Lanka is a sight to behold. After the heat of Sri Lanka's lowlands, the diversity of temperature and scenery in the highlands is incredible.
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Bandarawela are three popular hill stations in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is the highest, situated over 6000 feet above sea level, and is also called “Little England”. The British established their temporary residence here.
The winding road that leads to the hill country is truly awe-inspiring, with tea plantations carpeting the hills to extends beyond sight, waterfalls meandering cascading down the hills, misty valleys, and breathtaking scenery.
TEA FACTORY
During your journey, visit a tea plantation and a tea factory. Sri Lanka is famous for its "Ceylon Tea," which has brought cheers to many around the world for more than a century.
The Nuwara Eliya sightseeing tour also includes visits to Gregory Lake, a city tour, a golf course, Victoria Park, and the racecourse.
Dinner and overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
Day 3
Time : 7:00 am
NUWARA ELIYA / ELLA
After breakfast, depart from Ella and visit various locations, such as the tea factory and plantation, Sita Amman temple, Gregory Lake, and Victoria Park.
In the afternoon, embark on a guided trekking, hiking, and walking tour with your guide to take in the breathtaking scenery of Ella Gap. Ella includes the following activities: Trek to Ella Gap, Ella-Nine Arch Bridge, and Ella-Trek to Mini Adams Peak.
ELLA
Ella is one of Sri Lanka's most popular hill country resorts, with beautiful jungle mountains, misty hills, mountains, rolling tea plantations, and cascading waterfalls all rolled into one. The main reason for visiting Ella is to enjoy the beautiful vegetation while soaking up the natural scenery in Ella. Taking part in occasional treks and hikes along the jungle is another popular activity in Ella.
As one of the biggest tea producers, travelers can look forward to spending their days in the greenest surroundings, enjoying the views from hilltop hotels, and getting adventurous on their hiking trails. Even the train ride to Ella is one of life’s most remarkable experiences, as you travel by iconic blue train through bamboo forests and tropical mist. Enjoy all the top things to do in Ella with this complete Sri Lanka trip.
SITA AMMAN KOVIL
The place where Sita stayed in India was similar to Nuwara Eliya, with a cool climate and beautiful surroundings. Therefore, Ravana, the king, took her to Nuwara Eliya, granting her freedom of movement. The place she stayed came to be known as Seethaeliya. Later on, they built a beautiful Hindu temple to house Queen Seetha. Originally known as "Seetha" kovil, the temple now bears the name "Seedai Amman". The Hindus make vows at the temple because they believe that it has a miraculous power.
NINE ARCH BRIDGE
Constructing the Nine Arch Bridge, also known as the 'Bridge in the Sky', involved connecting two bog mountains during the construction of the Badulla-Colombo railway. The Nine Arch Bridge in Ella is on the Demodara loop and spans 91 meters at a height of 24 meters. Lush green tea fields conceal a stunning architectural masterpiece.
overnight stay in Elle
Day 4
Time : 7:00 am
ELLA / COLOMBO
After breakfast leave for Colombo via Ratnapura, En-route visit saman Devala and a gem museum. Your guide will be stopping at a few places along the way to give you the opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery and waterfalls.
Simone– :
A great trip, well worth 4 days in Sri Lanka. Roshan was really nice and friendly. Punctual and gave us a couple of ideas of things to do on drive. Definitely recommend!
Mathias– :
It was just a 4 days Sri Lanka trip an. however, the trip was great and Buddhika was good fun and full of the banter! We enjoyed the tour and were able to stop for water and juice in the hot sun! Safe and cautious driver. Chatty but not at all overbearing and plenty of quiet time when needed. Thumbs up!d
Andrea– :
We did the Sri Lanka 4 days tour to hill country with Jude. We have heard that Sri Lanka hill country was very beautiful and we wanted to see it. The Sri Lanka 4 days tour was the perfect trip for it I feel and we booked it. It was a well planned trip with good hotels and nice guide. We have earlier heard that it was difficult to get the seats in the hill country train due to the big demand, but the local company had been able to secure 4 seats for us despite we booked the trip only few days before the trip. I feel that without seats it could have been and catastrophic for us, the train was very crowded. ruwan (our guide) is a very flexible, friendly, qualified guide. He brought us to every place in the exact time, when there is not too much people and the weather is perfect for make photos and see the things! He made us feel always appeased and he gave us good advice also for other activities. Highly recommended
Ray– :
Sri Lanka 4 days trip itinerary was perfect for us and we wanted to see the scenic hill country mainly on this trip. Doing the hill country train was a bonus for and we never expected to have such scenic train ride in Sri Lanka. It was a short trip but very interesting. However, we were able to see a lot and experience a lot. We booked the trip just 2 days before our arrival in Sri Lanka, however, The trip was very well planned by the local agent. very nice hotels and very good vehicle with a personal driver/guide. Sarath did a great job as the guide and we had a great trip with his assistance.
Eliette– :
Buddhika ist eine sehr angenehme, ruhige Person, die mir im Laufe des Tages den Buddhismus nahe gebracht hat. Sauberes, desinfiziertes Auto und es ist auch regelmäßig das Fenster geöffnet worden. Buddhika geht auch gerne auf Sonderwünsche ein. Fazit: Es war ein toller reise, viel erlebt, viel gesehen, viel erfahren.
Gabrielle– :
We went on a couple of tours during our time in Sri Lanka and we must say that our 4 days tour with Ladip was definitely the best one. Ladip was very knowledgable, attentive and super friendly. He knew how to tell good stories and made sure we were always enjoying ourselves. We got a richer understanding of Sri Lanka’s culture, religion, history and many things. We definitely recommend doing this tour with Ladip!
Teresa– :
Janaka was a great host. He has extensive knowledge of Sri Lanka temple, culture, nature, wildlife, history, economy and people. He is very passionate about the Nature of the region and great ideas of where to go and what to see. I would thoroughly recommend him as a guide to anyone who is looking to get to the heart of Sri Lanka. The train ride was wonderful and main highlight of the trip.
Stephan– :
Chami did a great job- we had a great tour! Grazie!
Martina– :
Touring Sri Lanka hill country with “Kuma”, our gujide was quite an exciting experience. He is so funny energetic and full of fascinating information that makes Sri Lanka an even more interesting country. His knowledge on history and nature was excellent. He also took us to fantastic tasting and hosting in places we would have never found or enter without him. Its a sure delight
Marcia– :
We had a very good Sri Lanka hill country trip. very good program with the important temples, parks, some city tours and lots of natural places. Our guide Roshan was fantastic, His love and passion for all things was obvious throughout our tour. Well planned trip with good accommodation, meals and transport. Would recommend as a nice introduction to Sri Lanka.
Madif yonan– :
Gihan is a great people-person who is able to carry the conversation and teach you plenty about the history and traditions of Sri Lanka. We had a great time, with lots of fun facts interspersed throughout the trip. Very interesting trip, lot to see and do.
Eileen– :
The Sri Lanka hill country tour was recommended by the Seerendipoity tours because we wanted to see the beautiful scenery. I must say that the tour was spot on. We were able to soak up numerous spellbinding scenery. It was a well-planned trip with hill country scenery, I must highlight the train journey it was one of a kind and we never had an opportunity to try something like that. Our guide Chami was very good and explained a lot of interesting about hill country and SriLanka.
George Marsellos– :
The scenery is good but it takes a lot of time travelling